1. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-State Tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
What is a Public Affairs Officer?
There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a public affairs officer. For example, did you know that they make an average of $31.73 an hour? That's $66,001 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 6% and produce 17,300 job opportunities across the U.S.
What Does a Public Affairs Officer Do
There are certain skills that many public affairs officers have in order to accomplish their responsibilities. By taking a look through resumes, we were able to narrow down the most common skills for a person in this position. We discovered that a lot of resumes listed interpersonal skills, organizational skills and problem-solving skills.
How To Become a Public Affairs Officer
If you're interested in becoming a public affairs officer, one of the first things to consider is how much education you need. We've determined that 69.5% of public affairs officers have a bachelor's degree. In terms of higher education levels, we found that 18.1% of public affairs officers have master's degrees. Even though most public affairs officers have a college degree, it's possible to become one with only a high school degree or GED.
Public Affairs Officer Career Paths
As you move along in your career, you may start taking on more responsibilities or notice that you've taken on a leadership role. Using our career map, a public affairs officer can determine their career goals through the career progression. For example, they could start out with a role such as operations officer, progress to a title such as operations manager and then eventually end up with the title director of communications and marketing.
Public Affairs Officer
Director Of Communications And Marketing
9 Years
Regional Marketing Manager
6 Years
Director Of Marketing And Public Relations
6 Years
Vice President Of Marketing & Communications
12 Years
Assistant Director, Communications
5 Years
Internal Communications Manager
8 Years
Show More
Average Salary for a Public Affairs Officer
Public Affairs Officers in America make an average salary of $66,001 per year or $32 per hour. The top 10 percent makes over $109,000 per year, while the bottom 10 percent under $39,000 per year.
Average Public Affairs Officer Salary
$66,001 Yearly$31.73 hourly
What Am I Worth?
Roles and Types of Public Affairs Officer
There are several types of public affairs officer, including:
Account Coordinator
Role:
An account coordinator is an expert who helps account administrators by providing everyday managerial assistance. This includes organizing and filing trade agreements and reports. As an account coordinator, you must sustain a good connection with your customers and traders by resolving problems with constant interaction. You will conduct findings for potential customers and give customer reviews to the account management crew. You are also expected to supervise the merchandising process and improve request discharge. Plus, you are to execute a good exhibition and remain updated on the organization's goods and services.
Also, you are required to help in generating and executing enterprise enhancement programs, create business gatherings, and carry out follow-ups. You have to sustain a vast understanding of the client's account concerning its goal, business, and rivals. You need to have and demonstrate outstanding interpersonal, problem-solving, communication, and time management skills. You must also be able to provide solutions to issues, pay attention to details, and have proficiency in electronic and word processing applications. In addition, you need preferably a bachelor's degree in communication, business, or marketing or an associate degree. With these, you will earn an average yearly salary of $42,003 or $20.19 per hour.
- Average Salary: $39,973
- Degree: Bachelor's Degree
Communications Coordinator
Role:
A communication Coordinator supports the communication department to perform administrative tasks in executing and improving communication strategies. He/She also puts down several contents to assist marketing and communication endeavors. This includes copywriting, newsletter, and press release. Primarily, you are meant to assist the communication department in implementing and building a master plan to improve company objectives. The success and failure of your work must be well monitored by giving an analysis and reporting the campaigns and strategies. As a communication Coordinator, familiarity with the latest industry trends helps you provide recommendations for communication strategies and practices. You also cannot ignore media publicity; therefore, responding to media inquiries and maintaining a relationship with journalists helps your work to be more effective.
Your responsibilities include organizing press conferences, coordinating volunteers, assisting the staff, and performing outreach to magazines, press, and influencers to improve the company's productivity. Uncommon interpersonal skills, public speaking skills, exceptional writing skills, management and organizational skills, and knowledge of communication and marketing morals are all essential skills of a communication Coordinator. The average salary of a communication Coordinator annually is $45,000. A bachelor's degree in Mass Communication, Journalism, or other related fields will set you up for the role.
- Average Salary: $47,075
- Degree: Bachelor's Degree
Media Coordinator
Role:
Media Coordinators are communications professionals who plan and implement targeted communications and advertising content for clients. They research, write, proofread, and edit all content for broadcast, print, and online distribution channels. They coordinate the execution of marketing and advertising campaigns for broadcast, digital, and media outlets. Furthermore, they negotiate deals with media channels. Moreover, they serve as liaisons between their clients and media organizations, monitor all campaigns, and compile a report on results.
Media coordinators are required to have a bachelor's degree in communications, media, or a related field. They must have at least three years of work experience in a similar role. They are an expert at targeted communications and advertising campaigns. Also, they must be conversant with SEO, web traffic metrics, and social media practices. Key skills include interpersonal, decision-making, research, and communication skills. Their salary ranges from $33,000 to $55,000, which is $42,495 on average yearly.
- Average Salary: $47,471
- Degree: Bachelor's Degree
States With The Most Public Affairs Officer Jobs
Mouse over a state to see the number of active public affairs officer jobs in each state. The darker areas on the map show where public affairs officers earn the highest salaries across all 50 states.
Average Salary: Job Openings:
Number Of Public Affairs Officer Jobs By State
| Rank | State | Number of Jobs | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 5,121 | $67,267 |
| 2 | Florida | 2,640 | $49,934 |
| 3 | Texas | 2,090 | $51,364 |
| 4 | New York | 1,921 | $91,954 |
| 5 | Virginia | 1,553 | $86,810 |
| 6 | Illinois | 1,551 | $65,866 |
| 7 | Pennsylvania | 1,466 | $73,291 |
| 8 | Massachusetts | 1,394 | $73,432 |
| 9 | Georgia | 1,326 | $62,496 |
| 10 | New Jersey | 1,251 | $88,103 |
| 11 | North Carolina | 1,240 | $59,648 |
| 12 | Ohio | 1,059 | $68,562 |
| 13 | Minnesota | 1,025 | $78,274 |
| 14 | Maryland | 863 | $65,723 |
| 15 | Arizona | 850 | $48,034 |
| 16 | Washington | 840 | $83,276 |
| 17 | Michigan | 804 | $72,575 |
| 18 | Colorado | 785 | $63,697 |
| 19 | Tennessee | 727 | $57,451 |
| 20 | Indiana | 705 | $60,755 |
| 21 | Missouri | 627 | $53,590 |
| 22 | Wisconsin | 623 | $57,850 |
| 23 | South Carolina | 492 | $55,132 |
| 24 | Alabama | 475 | $48,922 |
| 25 | Oregon | 446 | $71,062 |
| 26 | Iowa | 396 | $57,379 |
| 27 | Oklahoma | 387 | $49,450 |
| 28 | Connecticut | 350 | $89,269 |
| 29 | Nevada | 347 | $60,306 |
| 30 | Kentucky | 338 | $63,571 |
| 31 | Louisiana | 331 | $49,518 |
| 32 | Idaho | 318 | $72,425 |
| 33 | Mississippi | 283 | $43,941 |
| 34 | Kansas | 277 | $50,074 |
| 35 | Arkansas | 264 | $61,942 |
| 36 | Nebraska | 254 | $58,230 |
| 37 | New Mexico | 241 | $58,678 |
| 38 | Rhode Island | 207 | $79,664 |
| 39 | New Hampshire | 207 | $74,073 |
| 40 | Maine | 164 | $54,602 |
| 41 | West Virginia | 157 | $68,849 |
| 42 | North Dakota | 128 | $70,396 |
| 43 | South Dakota | 119 | $57,378 |
| 44 | Vermont | 96 | $64,343 |
| 45 | Utah | 51 | $56,099 |
| 46 | Montana | 30 | $55,707 |
| 47 | Delaware | 17 | $71,601 |
| 48 | Alaska | 15 | $71,509 |
| 49 | Wyoming | 9 | $59,343 |
| 50 | Hawaii | 7 | $37,152 |
Top Colleges for Public Affairs Officers
2. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-State Tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
3. Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA • Private
In-State Tuition
$18,454
Enrollment
40,108
4. University of Houston
Houston, TX • Private
In-State Tuition
$8,913
Enrollment
37,291
5. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-State Tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
6. Syracuse University
Syracuse, NY • Private
In-State Tuition
$51,853
Enrollment
14,759
7. Villanova University
Villanova, PA • Private
In-State Tuition
$53,308
Enrollment
6,819
8. San Diego State University
San Diego, CA • Private
In-State Tuition
$7,488
Enrollment
30,018
9. Bentley University
Waltham, MA • Private
In-State Tuition
$49,880
Enrollment
4,177
10. Marquette University
Milwaukee, WI • Private
In-State Tuition
$41,870
Enrollment
8,200
Top Skills For a Public Affairs Officer
The skills section on your resume can be almost as important as the experience section, so you want it to be an accurate portrayal of what you can do. Luckily, we've found all of the skills you'll need so even if you don't have these skills yet, you know what you need to work on. Out of all the resumes we looked through, 14.2% of public affairs officers listed press releases on their resume, but soft skills such as interpersonal skills and organizational skills are important as well.
Choose From 10+ Customizable Public Affairs Officer Resume templates
Zippia allows you to choose from different easy-to-use Public Affairs Officer templates, and provides you with expert advice. Using the templates, you can rest assured that the structure and format of your Public Affairs Officer resume is top notch. Choose a template with the colors, fonts & text sizes that are appropriate for your industry.
Public Affairs Officer diversity
Public Affairs Officer Gender Distribution
Male
59%
Female
41%
After extensive research and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
- Among public affairs officers, 40.8% of them are women, while 59.2% are men.
- The most common race/ethnicity among public affairs officers is White, which makes up 67.1% of all public affairs officers.
- The most common foreign language among public affairs officers is Spanish at 40.5%.
Online Courses For Public Affairs Officer That You May Like
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1. Science Communication: Communicating Trustworthy Information in the Digital World
In a world of information overload, how does one find reliable information? Science is supposed to be the answer to our society's complicated challenges. However, as the Covid-19 pandemic highlighted, not understanding what is fake news, misinformation or what is fact may lead to widespread public mistrust, or turn science into fuel for conspiracy theories or propaganda. Scientific findings are prone to change, making it difficult to effectively communicate them to the public. This fosters...
2. Communicating During Global Emergencies
In collaboration with the Rollins School of Public Health and the CDC's Division of Global Health Protection, Emergency Response, and Recovery Branch, this course introduces basic concepts and principles of communicating during a global crisis or emergency. It explores why communication during an emergency is different and the importance of adapting emergency messages to the needs of affected populations. Through sample scenarios, you will get the opportunity to identify information needs and...
3. Public Relations: Media Crisis Communications
Public Relations: You can shape and control your media messages at the worst possible times...
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Best States For a Public Affairs Officer
Some places are better than others when it comes to starting a career as a public affairs officer. The best states for people in this position are New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, and Virginia. Public affairs officers make the most in New York with an average salary of $91,954. Whereas in Connecticut and New Jersey, they would average $89,269 and $88,103, respectively. While public affairs officers would only make an average of $86,810 in Virginia, you would still make more there than in the rest of the country. We determined these as the best states based on job availability and pay. By finding the median salary, cost of living, and using the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Location Quotient, we narrowed down our list of states to these four.
1. New York
Total Public Affairs Officer Jobs: 1,921
Highest 10% Earn:
$151,000
Location Quotient:
1.16
$91,954
Avg. Salary
2. Virginia
Total Public Affairs Officer Jobs: 1,553
Highest 10% Earn:
$149,000
Location Quotient:
1.27
$86,810
Avg. Salary
3. Rhode Island
Total Public Affairs Officer Jobs: 207
Highest 10% Earn:
$129,000
Location Quotient:
1.31
$79,664
Avg. Salary
How Do Public Affairs Officers Rate Their Jobs?
Top Public Affairs Officer Employers
Most Common Employers For Public Affairs Officer
| Rank | Company | Average Salary | Hourly Rate | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Earthjustice | $116,825 | $56.17 | 10 |
| 2 | American Red Cross | $114,427 | $55.01 | 9 |
| 3 | Citi | $101,202 | $48.65 | 4 |
| 4 | U.S. Department of State | $86,278 | $41.48 | 30 |
| 5 | United Nations | $83,128 | $39.97 | 10 |
| 6 | Department of Homeland Security | $76,933 | $36.99 | 8 |
| 7 | NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration | $76,487 | $36.77 | 7 |
| 8 | Prep for Prep | $71,900 | $34.57 | 4 |
| 9 | United Spinal Association | $68,772 | $33.06 | 3 |
| 10 | USDA | $63,552 | $30.55 | 4 |
Public Affairs Officer Videos
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Public Affairs Officer